Living Like a Small Green Hairy Fruit

Yis, know its nearly end of Jan, but heres our Xmas Blog

Our First Kiwi Christmas 2007

As I might have already said we'd decided snowy xmas decs would just be too weird in the middle of summer so we bought some new ones, although bizarrely we did hang plastic icicles off the tree! And of course we had to put on the kids' special ones so along with the new snorkling santas and sparkly fish we did have a frosty the snowman.

Here's a pic of our 1st Kiwi Xmas Tree:

I had to work Christmas Eve but we finished early so I was home by 10pm.  Eventually managed to get the kids to bed around midnight and we weren't far behind as I was shattered.

Christmas Day morning the kids waited patiently until 7.30am before crashing into our bedroom baring gifts of hot tea and coffee.  Happy that we were sufficiency awake (I at least opened an eye), they ran off and quickly returned dragging sacks and stockings and piling onto our bed.  Bless em.  I didn't think they'd be that excited this year, being that they're 13 and (oh so nearly) 12. But they were and bounced around merrily tearing through Father  Christmas presents.

And I, for the first year since being with Mark, got some presents in my stocking! Each year I hopefully hang up my fluffy red stocking (which for some reason has an applique of a festive mouse head) only to wake Christmas morning to find it bereaft of gifts. But THIS year I got some so I must have done something right in 2007 to be deemed 'a good girl'!!!

Mark was puzzled with one of his stocking presents, a can of orange Tango, until I explained it was purchased from The Gingerbread lolly shop, and then he realised it was an incredibly overpriced UK import.

Kids seemed happy with their gifts of body boards, water bombs, scrapbooking stuff, scooter, heaps of chocolate and other stuff I remember paying a small fortune for even if I can't name it.

We then went up to the rumpus room and trashed that with the opening of presents from under the tree amongst which were some great gifts from family, which all arrived safely, thank you. xxxx

Then Mark opened the bubbly and we all retired to the hot tub for the rest of the morning! It was a really hot day at 34 degrees!

Lunch was a relaxing BBQ, although Mark did point out to the kids that they were actually eating reindeer sausages (they were venison), but they didn't seem detered by that and cleared their plates anyway.  That was followed by not Xmas pud but traditional Kiwi pavlova, homemade, filled with strawberry ice-cream, again homemade, and fresh kiwi fruit. Yummy!

 Everyone got some sort of game as one of their presents so we played boules in the garden in the afternoon before taking Leo (our dog) down to the river so he could cool down, which he really appreciated as it was sweltering.  Then it was back home and back in the hot tub for us to cool off.

Evening was just vegging in front of the tv with cheese and crackers and chinese nibbles and that was our first Christmas.

Boxing Day we were supposed to be having a picnic at the beach with friends but the weather wasn't too brill in the morning, so we went fishing instead. It started off cool and drizzly but towards the end of the afternoon it was warm and sunny again, great! The weather changed just in time for us to leave the beach as I had to work that night!

We did have the beach picnic with friends as the rest of the week the weather was brill. The kids all got to try out their body boards at Waikuku and it was a lovely day, even if a little windy, making the sandwiches even sandier. 

So it was a lovely, quiet, lazy Christmas and we really enjoyed it. It was great not having to spend the day in the kitchen and to be able to just relax. Perfect! 

Better late than never

3:34 AM, Monday 28 January 2008 .. Posted by Dave+Jules

Sounds like you had a great christmas and the kiwi pavalova likes like it could be a family tradition for years to come! Our kids (LOL kids) are 17 and 20 and they still get excited at Christmas (I, err, well Julie really must stop buying interesting presents).